Till, midway meeting, three with three, in struggle fierce they lock,
While all account them dead who hear the echo of the shock.

The cowardly Infantes, having been defeated, publicly confessed
themselves in the wrong, and were ever after abhorred, while the Cid
returned to Valencia with the spoils wrung from his adversaries, and
proudly presented to his wife and daughters the three champions who
had upheld their cause.

He who a noble lady wrongs and casts aside--may he
Meet like requital for his deeds, or worse, if worse there be.
But let us leave them where they lie--their meed is all men's scorn.
Turn we to speak of him that in a happy hour was born.
Valencia the Great was glad, rejoiced at heart to see
The honoured champions of her lord return in victory.

Shortly after this the Cid's pride was further salved by proposals of
marriage from the princes of Aragon and Navarre, and thus his
descendants in due time sat upon the thrones of these realms.

And he that in a good hour was born, behold how he hath sped!
His daughters now to higher rank and greater honor wed:
Sought by Navarre and Aragon for queens his daughters twain;
And monarchs of his blood to-day upon the thrones of Spain.

Five years now elapsed during which the Cid lived happy, honored by
all and visited by embassies even from distant Persia. But the Cid was
now old and felt his end near, for St. Peter visited him one night and
warned him that, although he would die in thirty days, he would
triumph over the Moors even after life had departed.